Tooth and Claw

It took a little while for me to get into Tooth and Claw, but after the first two or three chapters I found it quite thoroughly engaging. It can be difficult to envision dragons riding trains and writing letters and it is a VERY literal book, but it is absolutely delightful with endearing characters!

8.5/10 - Highly Recommended

Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/09/review-of-tooth-and-claw-by-jo-walton/

My notes read: “P&P&Dragons!”, but really this is the Jane Austin-esque mannerpunk of [b:Sense and Sensibility 14935 Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1397245675l/14935.SY75.jpg 2809709] rather than [b:Pride and Prejudice 1885 Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320399351l/1885.SY75.jpg 3060926]. And the time is deliciously Victorian than Regency. And, of course, the ladies to be married off are dragons.That aside, this is a lovely book. I loved the intricate dragon society – as much if not more intricate than the actual upper-class English society that actually existed – and the utter unconcern with death that forms part of it. Victorian death culture is fascinating, and in dragon society where it's expected you will eat your elders (and your weakling young), death is treated in a way that extends the Victorian fascination and acceptance of it. (I recently published a paper on death culture so it particularly stands out for me).Walton gently and lovingly pokes fun at Austin in a way that will amuse Austin readers. The chapter titles count the number of proposals, confessions, and deaths. I listened to the audio version so I can't exactly recall the titles but they were along the lines of A Second Proposal or A Fourth Proposal and a Second Confession, or A Second Deathbed. Finally, the narrator confesses they have lost the count, which was perhaps the most amusing part of the story.The young sisters to be married off (and you know they will be married off, that's how it works) have perhaps the least agency in the book, but I forgive their wallflowerness simply because it is in the style of Austin. I probably shouldn't, because I don't forgive other fantasy books the things that annoy me simply because “that's what actually happened” in the time period in which they are based, but, eh.Also, because I am into that sort of thing, the side-story of underground heresy was particularly of interest to me, although if you have no interest in Church and Reformation history it won't make any difference to your appreciation of the story.If you're into mannerpunk and Austin, I completely recommend this.

This book answers a question one may not have been aware was ever asked, namely, “what if a Victorian novel, but dragons?”. In Jo Walton's hands, it turns out the answer is “unexpectedly delightful”! I enjoyed the wide cast of characters Walton created, and the way she dealt with Victorian concerns over female purity by having lady dragons literally change color at sexual awakening. If you enjoy both fantasy novels and classic novels, this will be a treat!